Not a Hawke, Not a Warden- Amell
by Fenris's Slytherin Princess
Summary: After fighting with her cousin at Ostagar, Alicia Amell flees to the Free Marches with the rest of the Hawke family. This is her story. Slight AU- Amell isn't a Warden, both twins survive. I'm trying to keep as close to canon as possible! WARNINGS: swears, mild sex scenes/references, mild blood type things and confusing love triangles. RATING IS NOT PERMANENT
1. Fleeing Lothering

**Hello! Thank you for even _opening _this story! I don't own any of this (I mean, I wrote it, just not the Bioware bits) except Alicia, but go ahead and copy her, she's really just a F!Hawke but...different...yeah. Just a few warnings: The early chapters probably won't have any sex in them, unless I put flashbacks in, but the later ones might have a few scenes... I'll mention what gender's they are between, in case anyone's a bit uncomfortable with it. It's totally cool if you are! They shouldn't be too detailed anyway. The rating is mainly for the swearing which will, of course, get worse later on. Hopefully, though, you'll enjoy what I've written!**

Alicia Amell threw a flaming hot fireball over her shoulder and ran. Alicia Amell was _not _a Warden, she was a soldier. She had fought at Ostagar with her cousin, Carver, and was now running through Lothering with him and the rest of her remaining family. Alicia sure was a fire cracker. Her attitude and weapon of choice often matched; she was often seen with a constantly sharp dagger in her hand, and metaphorical ones flying from her tongue. Alicia looked almost identical to her cousin, Bethany; the same blue eyes with the depth of an ocean, the same black hair, except straight and cut to her chin. They even wore the same clothes before Alicia was carted off to the Circle when she was seven. "A stealth mage, huh?" Carver shouted, nearly getting grabbed by a Hurlock.  
"Yup, got a problem, junior?" Alicia yelled, sending out a ring of fire to a group of Hurlock Bolters, which were rounding up on Leandra Hawke, her aunt. Alicia, admittedly, _was _quite different from a normal mage. She took after her two favourite cousins, Nathan and Carver Hawke. Carver was a warrior, choosing to wield a massive, two-handed sword. Nathan, however, was a rogue. Quite a boisterous rouge, but a dagger wielding, lock picking rouge nonetheless. Nathan looked almost identical to Alicia; his eyes were the same shape, and his lips always looked as if a bad smell was about. His hair was a dirty blonde, and that was almost the only difference between Nathan and his favourite cousin.  
"Not at all, Shackles!" Carver beheaded a lonely Genlock, and grimaced at the feel of it's blood sticking to his face. 'Shackles' was a nickname that Carver had thought of when Alicia had gone to the Circle. To start with, she hated it, but over time she realised that the Hawke family loved her more than her own ever would, and that Carver especially resented the Circle for what it did. In fact, during fighting, there was often a lot of banter going between the cousins, and Bethany was usually the butt of it.  
Suddenly, Alicia felt a warm presence pressing up against her back. She drew her daggers almost instantly, before a loud, imposing voice came from over her shoulder. "It's just me, Shackles," Nathan kicked a Hurlock in the stomach, and slit it's throat in one swift move.  
"About time, too." Alicia grunted, cracking her knuckles. She was soon aware that she and Nathan were surrounded by a ring of Darkspawn, and that they were back to back, ready for a full on fight. "Well, Nate, you ready?"  
"Call me Nate one more time today and I will break your fucking fingers." Nathan spat angrily, and pounced off Alicia's back, hacking and slashing every Darkspawn that came in reach of him.  
"I don't think that's a good idea, when I saved your arse back there." Alicia, too, bounded off her cousin, and began alternating between magic and melee combat. Nathan kicked an Acid Flask over to an Emissary, who was trying to trap Bethany in a hex. Carver, sensing the break in combat, launched himself onto the Emissary, seeing red.  
"That's- my- sister-" He yelled, stabbing the Genlock in the eye, not caring about the amount of blood that was pouring onto his uniform. Bethany whacked Carver over the head with her white-wooden staff, and threw him back to a reality of which he didn't want to come back to.  
"Carver, stop!" Bethany yelled, throwing a healing spell at Leandra, who was being rounded by Genlock Grunt's. Caver knew that he had to keep his head down and keep fighting otherwise they'd never make it to Gwaren; he was easily their strongest fighter. Suddenly, and without warning, Carver was surrounded. Before, he was outside the ever shrinking ring of Darkspawn that encased Alicia and Nathan, but now he was being circled himself. Alicia looked at Nathan, who nodded strongly, and they both jumped into action. Carver was panicking, and throwing his sword about, left, right and centre, just trying to find an escape route. Nathan made himself almost invisible, and suck between two Darkspawn that were scrapping with each other. Alicia shouted for Bethany.  
"Beth!" Alicia called, raising her right hand, still grasping a dagger.  
"Fire and Ice?" Bethany yelled back, keeping herself safe with a ball of pure mana that surrounded her.  
"Fire and Ice!" Alicia sent out two great fireballs at the Darkspawn that were hounding Carver. Nathan managed to grab his brother just in time, before huge shards of ice flew at them. By burning and freezing the Darkspawn, the Hawke's were victorious. Carver lent on his sword's hilt and panted, Nathan's firm hand grasping his shoulder, keeping him steady. Leandra seemed completely fine, and was rushing over to her children's sides. Bethany stood next to Alicia, and was silently tending to a small scratch on her face.  
"Are you alright?" Alicia asked, breaking the awkward quiet. Leandra was kissing Carver's forehead in a calming fashion, and thanking Nathan in between kisses.  
"I'm scared," Bethany said frankly, turning her attention to a cut on her own arm. "You and Carver, you've seen these things before. But Nathan and me? No, never." She turned to look at her cousin. In truth, Alicia and the Hawke children were second cousins, but acted more like brothers and sisters since Alicia was granted leave a few years ago. Rare as it was, Alicia relished the chance to see her family again, but was upset to find that her mother and father, Revka and Damion Amell, had fled for Antiva shortly after they sent her and her sisters and brothers to the Circle. On several occasions, Alicia had received letters of her sibling's deaths, which drew her more and more towards Leandra Amell, and her deceased husband, Malcolm Hawke.  
"You've never even killed before today, Beth." Alicia stated, vivid images of Ostagar ran through her mind. "You cried when we had to eat the rabbit that time, remember?" Alicia smiled fondly, smelling Lothering in her memories.  
"Yeah... It _was _a cute bunny," Bethany smiled, nodded once, and walked over to her two brothers, and offered healing. Nathan's sandy coloured hair now had flecks of blood in it, some fresh and red, some a deep red, and almost black colour. His armour was typical of a rogue in Fereldan; studded leather with knee high boots, laced up perfectly. His two daggers were saddled onto his back, unlike Alicia's, who were on her left side on her belt. Carver had a split lip, which Bethany was healing, whilst talking to her mother. Carver had eyes just like his sister; a piercing blue which could almost cut glass if they wanted. His strong jaw was stiff from fatigue, and his palms were sweaty. When he left Lothering after coming from Ostagar, he only had time to grab one rucksack. He had pulled on a dark brown pair of trousers, and a cream tunic. On the tunic were straps, from which he hung his sword. He had large arm braces on both wrists, which came in handy when he was throwing punches back in Lothering. Now, however... Well, Alicia doubted whether this garb would do much good against Darkspawn. Alicia and Carver both served under Calian, and were not strangers to going a few rounds with the Darkspawn. Now, however... It was different, at least for Carver. His country? Eh. He didn't care if the entire flaming kingdom went under. But his family? If _anyone _touches his family... Alicia just wanted to fight. Adrenaline, she always said. And her family was important too. She had lost Jowan... Cullen... She wasn't about to lose them either. Bethany pulled away from Carver after healing his lip, and turned her attention to a nasty gash in Nathan's leg. Bethany was beautiful. No doubt about it. Leandra had often said that she'd marry a prince one day, if she ever met one. Bethany, like every single bloody Hawke alive, was protective of her own. Her twin, Carver, was obvious, but she had taken a shine to Alicia, no matter how different they were. Alicia was hard hitting, sarcastic and ruthless. Bethany was diplomatic, sweet and level-headed. Bethany tried to hide her magic as much as possible, whereas Alicia didn't care. She just _knew _that she was headed to the Circle, and she figured that prolonging the wait was just boring. Bethany swept her hair to one side; it was amazing. Secretly, as she got older, Alicia envied Bethany for her looks. Black hair that curled at the ends; big blue eyes that could make anyone melt... In truth, Bethany was a virgin, and didn't really care about boys; she just wanted to be left in peace. Alicia... Not so much.  
"Ready?" Nathan was stood in front of Alicia, and tapping her just above her collar bones. She nodded, and darted off around the corner, along with her family. Carver stayed with his mother, but Bethany, Alicia and Nathan ran ahead, scouting.  
"Why didn't you serve?" Alicia asked. She had been wondering this since she caught up with her family at Lothering.  
"I uh... I pick pocketed the recruitment officer's coin purse when he came around a few years back. Carver clipped me around the ear, and signed up instead." Nathan shook his head as he jogged, "it should have been me."  
"Look, Carver and Alicia are both perfectly _fine. _You're too reckless." Bethany was holding her staff out a little as she ran, readying herself.  
Nathan grunted at his sister, which he often found annoyingly optimistic, and turned his head slightly to Alicia. "Why did you sign up?"  
"Uh... Well, I was glad to be offered leave, considering I've been in that bloody circle almost all my life, but it wasn't enough. Sure, seeing you all was great, but _boring. _Cullen had to come with me," she was interrupted.  
"He was nice, though." Bethany pointed out. True enough, Cullen was a very nice Templar, considering that it wasn't uncommon to be beaten in other Circles. "He didn't turn me in, did he? And he went for a drink in the refuge when you visited." Alicia felt a homesick pang. Cullen _was _the nicest Templar she'd ever had to put up with, and in fact, the nicest man to ever even talk to her. Truth be told, Alicia was scared that Cullen would go off to fight, and get killed, and of course, she'd never be told about it, because she was a mage, and he was her guardian.  
"_Anyway,_" Alicia said, glaring at her magical cousin, "I wasn't allowed weapons or a staff when I went, and I had to be shackled the entire journey. I understand why, but I couldn't even _piss _without that great idiot watching." Alicia added, a little too fondly. "Anyhow, a Grey Warden came through, looking for recruits, just about the same time as Jowan went all Blood Mage-y, and his girlfriend," she shuddered loudly, "and that Surana kid were going to be locked up, when Duncan stepped in and was all like 'no, they can come with me'. I asked to tag along." Alicia looked up at Nathan, "I missed you lot, and it was a sure fire way out. I talked to Irving, who agreed, and said that I'd be pretty good on a battlefield. I travelled with Wynne," she grinned happily, "she was my mentor for a few years, and was a really good spirit healer." She looked at Bethany, "you'd love her."  
"Alicia?" Carver and Leandra were walking behind them, "Mazah Surana died in the Joining, I forgot to say..." Carver looked sad, "I think a Dalish Elf and a couple of Dwarves made it through."  
"Aeducan," Alicia snorted, remembering a dwarf, quite like herself. Yza Aeducan was an exile. She had flaming red hair, and deep brown eyes, and a fiery temper. "She was pretty cool, actually. We had a few on the first night." They had stopped in a large, arena like area, and the Thedas stood still; not a sound, not a gust of wind or drop of rain fell onto them.


	2. A Ginger and A Dragon

"They're coming." A curt voice came from behind them. Alicia was the first to turn around and draw her weapon; Carver soon after. In front of the Hawke's stood a tall, broad shouldered woman with an orange head of hair. Around her head was a woven head band, in the same leather that was attached to her traditional Fereldan wear. Alicia and Carver recognised her from Ostagar. Next to her was an even taller Templar with a head of dark brown hair and even darker eyes. "The Darkspawn are coming. We must go south." She spoke again. In her hand, she carried the Templar's shield and a one-handed sword.  
"Well, the Maker has a sense of humour. First Darkspawn, now a Templar." Bethany said, her cheek flushing red. "I thought you all abandoned Lothering."  
"Be nice, Bethany." Leandra hissed, resting her hand on her daughter's shoulder.  
"Duck." Alicia whispered to the red-haired woman, gesturing for her to duck.  
"What?" The Templar questioned, unaware that there were two mages in his sight, rather than one.  
"Bloody duck, you idiot." Nathan put his foot forward in a threatening manner. The two strangers ducked. Alicia shot a fireball at an approaching member of the Darkspawn horde. It collapsed in a twitching heap. She raised her head proudly. "Forward Mabari?" Nathan asked.  
"Forward Mabari." Instantly, Carver had moved his mother to safety, and joined his sister, brother and second cousin in a full on fight. Darkspawn seemed to have been attracted to the flat plains they stood on, and it seemed like the perfect chance to show these two new people what they were capable of. Bethany shot out lightning from her palm, knocking two Genlock's cold out. Carver decapitated three Hurlock's with one sweep of his guard sword. Nathan and Alicia started backstabbing various Darkspawn, and left blood trailing from their daggers.  
It was over in seconds. Piles of the dead were around them, and the family smiled smugly. "The Maker forgives them, Wesley." The woman patted the man's arm, "so do we."  
"Shackles?" Carver looked at Alicia for guidance. She nodded and scoffed.  
"Hello, my name's Alicia Amell, this is Leandra, Caver, Bethany and Nathan. All Hawke's." She pointed to each person she spoke of then held out her hand. "And you are?"  
"Aveline Vallen." Aveline shook Alicia's hand. "And this is my husband, Ser Wesley." Alicia bowed her head politely and backed into her family group. "Thank you for that."  
"Yeah, it's not often we save someone's asses." Nathan muttered to Carver, a little too loudly.  
"Yes, I gathered that." Wesley scowled at Bethany and Alicia.  
"They saved us, Wesley, be grateful." Aveline patted her husband's arm again.  
"We can't go south," Leandra said, "it's too much for us to walk."  
"The north path is blocked off, so south is the only way." Aveline frowned. Nathan inhaled, and gestured his family to follow the new allies.  
After ten minutes of walking in silence, they came to another arena type area. Suddenly, a faint rumbling could be heard, and an orge appeared out of nowhere. Wesley, now too frail to walk by himself, leant on Leandra and took cover in a nook out of sight. All weapons were suddenly drawn, and the battle began. Fireballs, ice storms, backstabs and full on slashes were thrown at the beast, but nothing seemed to be getting through it's thick skin. Alicia had a large cut across her face, Carver's leg seemed to be smashed, Nathan had a sprained wrist, and Bethany was trying to hold everyone together with healing magic. When everyone was ready to give up, a loud roar came from a cliff face near by. "Shit." Alicia cursed, throwing more and more fire around her family as a protective bubble.  
"Andraste's tits..." Nathan gasped, gripping his daggers tighter.  
"Daisies and kittens!" Bethany tried not to swear as much as possible. A dragon. A huge, pink and purple dragon had just unwrapped it self and was setting fire to the ogre.  
"Wait..." Carver held his arm out to refrain anyone from going out there. The fire stopped. The dragon flew down in front of them, and transformed into a woman.  
"I will not harm you, child." The woman said as Alicia moved in front of her, her hands hovering on her daggers. The woman was old and had pure white hair. Her eyes were yellow, and her leather garb was purple and studded silver. "Where are you going?"  
"The Free Marches." Alicia spoke loudly and clearly, to show that she was not impressed or intimidated.  
"You will do me a favour." The woman said. "I am Flemmeth, and you need me."  
"The Witch of the Wilds..." Bethany bit her lower lip in awe; she had always been so enthralled with myths and legends.  
"What is this favour?" Nathan asked, standing at Alicia's side.  
"Deliver this amulet." Flemmeth held out a simple amulet with a clear centre.  
"Where to?" Alicia asked.  
"Sundermount, near Kirkwall." Flemmeth said.  
"We're going that way," Leandra said quietly.  
"We'll do it." Carver stepped in front of Flemmeth and grasped the amulet.  
"I'll take you to Gwaren; you'll never make it without me, and I need this delivered." Flemmeth nodded calmly.  
"And of the Blight?" Aveline asked.  
"My daughter went with the Wardens. I believe you've met them," Flemmeth looked at Alicia.  
"Indeed." Alicia said curtly.  
"Your husband, however," Flemmeth looked at Wesley, "is finished."  
"No-" Aveline tried to speak, but her husband spoke louder.  
"She's right. The taint... it's in my blood. It's burning me, love." Wesley panted. He was sprawled on the floor, gasping for air. His skin was paler than it should be, and the veins were highlighted in an ugly purple.  
"You will not have him!" Aveline shouted, "not while I breathe." She bit back tears with all her might, but her husband's touch broke her. She grasped her husband, and kissed his cheek, forehead and nose repeatedly.  
"Aveline, my love, please." Wesley held out his sword for his wife and nodded. The rest of the group turned away as they heard the muffled sound of blade breaking skin. Aveline sniffed, and stood up.  
"It is done." She had taken her husband's wedding band, sword and shield and equipped them.  
"Then we're off." Flemmeth announced, and transformed back into the dragon. Alicia shrugged, and climbed aboard the woman's back. Once everyone was on, Flemmeth took off, and headed for Gwaren.


	3. The Trip and The Trick

Thanks to Flemmeth, the entourage wouldn't have to walk through the Brecillian Passage to get to Gwaren, which would have added days to their journey, and given the possibility that they'd run into more Darkspawn. In fact, the dragon ride to Gwaren took less than an hour, so it was still daylight by the time that they got there. Flemmeth took off without a word, leaving Leandra, Aveline, Nathan, Alicia, Carver and Bethany alone in the desolate port town.  
"Gwaren, eh?" Alicia said, admiring a banner with a vibrant yellow wyvern on. Nobody had heard her, so she carried on muttering to herself. Carver was the first one to speak openly.  
"Who knew there'd be so many people here..." He said as the group huddled closer together. It was true; over half the people in Gwaren didn't even live there- they were just going out of Fereldan. Several ships were marked with places such as Antiva and Orlais, and only one was marked with Free Marches. An even more disturbing sight was the amount of slavers. They'd never really been a massive problem in Fereldan; the occasional one here and there in Alienage's, and in the mountains where the villagers were poor enough and desperate enough to sell their children.  
"Okay," Aveline had just been off to see how much the tickets were, and when the ship sailed, "we have about an hour before it sails, and the tickets are half a sovereign each."  
"Shit." Carver raised his eyes to the heavens in hope of a divine idea. None came.  
"I have an idea..." Nathan spoke up, sensing the lack of hope in the direct area. "How much have we got in total?"  
"Just under one sovereign, plus what ever Aveline's carrying." Leandra rattled her coin purse desperately.  
"I have enough for one ticket, and that's all." Aveline sighed, wringing her hands. If they couldn't get this boat, then the next one wouldn't be for a few hours, and that would mean it would be dark, and they had nowhere to stay and nothing to eat.  
"Shackles, are you thinking what I'm thinking?" Nathan looked at his little cousin, willing her to have the same brain wave as he had.  
"I have two ideas, actually, Nathan..." Alicia smirked smugly.  
"Oh? Do tell." Nathan cocked his hip and started to smile.  
"See those two boat guards over there? Well, as soon as they're about to load, we, with the two tickets we've bought, distract them. The rest of us sneak on." Alicia took a deep breath, "or we pick pocket until we have enough... But that would probably take longer."  
"Actually, I was thinking that we could knock the guards out momentarily, change into their uniforms and just let everyone on." Nathan shook his head, "but your ideas are better."  
"No!" Bethany cut in. "How dishonest are we going to get? Let's just wait for the next boat."  
"I'm sorry, but that's impossible." Aveline put her hand on Bethany's shoulder and steered her to the boat timetable. "See, night time. And we don't have enough for a single room at the inn, let alone food and drink. Sorry, Bethany, but they're right." Aveline scowled at the smug Alicia and Nathan, who were sizing up targets.  
"Okay, so if we get just a few more silvers, then we can have three tickets. That way Aveline, Leandra and Beth can get the boat honestly." Alicia pointed to a middle-aged man in long, dark robes. Nathan nodded once, scanned the area next to the man for a dark corner or alley way to see from, and darted off. "I guess that means I'm keeping this man distracted... My favourite part." Alicia walked casually in front of the man, and suddenly fell over. She began to shout. "Ow! You tripped me up!" She pointed at the man obviously, who began to shake his head.  
"You just fell over by yourself!" He insisted.  
"Of course you'd say that!" Alicia must have looked silly. She was a fully grown woman accusing a middle aged man of tripping her up. But it worked. Soon, Nathan had shot over to her, and was helping her up, which the man had neglected to do.  
"How _dare_ you!" Nathan bellowed in the man's face. "My baby sister! You just knocked her clean off her feet! Are you okay, princess?" Nathan examined Alicia's face, making her open her mouth and blink for effect.  
"I'm alright, honest." Alicia sniffed loudly, then suddenly cried out in pain. "No! Ouch, my ankle..." Her blue eyes watered convincingly as she reached for her left ankle, wincing.  
Nathan let Alicia lean on him, and turned to the man. "Look what you've done!" Nathan spoke loudly, drawing the attention of people near by. Soon, Carver got the jist of what was happening.  
He jostled over, and took Alicia under one arm. "Here, sister, are you alright?" Carver held Alicia's head up, and took out his great sword dramatically for Alicia to lean on. Then, both he and Nathan rounded up on the man.  
"She's going to need healing." Nathan cracked his knuckles subtly. He wanted a scene, not a fight.  
"And we're going to need money for that healing." Carver said, clicking his neck.  
"Now, please." Nathan snorted.  
"Psst," Alicia caught Carver's attention. He bent down, and let his cousin whisper something in his ear. "He's got magic, be wary."  
"Fine!" The man delved into his large, bulging coin purse, and pulled out two silvers.  
"A bit measly, don't you think?" Alicia hissed, nursing her ankle.  
"Fine!" The man said again, and coughed up two sovereigns in silvers. The man bolted off, cursing under his breath. Carver put away his sword, and let Alicia stand up. Nathan hugged her suddenly, and praised her acting skills.  
"Where did you learn to do that?" He asked, walking back over to his family and Aveline.  
"The Circle. I can sing and paint too," she frowned. "Good skills if I wanted a husband, eh?"  
"You? Married?" Carver laughed, thumping Alicia on the back. "You'd get bored too quickly."  
"What are you trying to say?" Alicia spun around and got _very _close to Carver.  
"Well...you...uh..." He jumped, and struggled for things to say.  
"I'm joking, Carver." Alicia smiled, and turned to Leandra.  
"What are we doing?" Leandra asked.  
"You, Beth and Aveline are going to distract the guards with your womanly charms-" Alicia started, before Aveline cut in.  
"No offense to anyone, but wouldn't you and Bethany do a better job on your own?" She asked Alicia.  
"No," Alicia chortled to herself, "if they make a move on me, I'll break their fingers, and they won't hesitate to call the local guard... or just attack." She sized up the two boat guards and frowned, "and I don't think the authorities will accept 'he fancied me' as a good cause to kill them."  
"Okay, so me, Bethany and Leandra will go and distract them, yes?" Aveline put her hand on her hip.  
"Indeed," Nathan took over. "Go buy some tickets with this," Nathan put enough for another ticket in Leandra's hand, so that they had enough for three in total. "Then go and do whatever women do, and we'll sneak on just before you. Understood?" Bethany, Aveline and Leandra all nodded, and scurried off to buy tickets. Carver, Alicia and Nathan all stood, waiting for their family to hurry by again. A whole ten minutes later, Alicia gave the go ahead, as she saw Bethany talking into the guard's ear. Nathan went first, and snuck into the ship's cargo hold, then Carver, and finally Alicia. Luckily, it went without a hitch, and five minutes after everyone was settled in, the ship set off.


	4. Ahriel and a Story

The cargo hold was tight and uncomfortable, and Alicia had to squeeze in between two cages holding lifeless, battered elves. Nathan, a little way away from his cousin and brother, was trying to talk to one of the elves. "Hello?" The elf Nathan was prodding was a little girl, with silver-blonde hair, and almost red eyes. She couldn't have been any older than sixteen, yet she cradled the baby in her arms like it was her own. And it _looked _like her own. The child had the same brick red eyes and flared nose, and even grimaced in the same way when the older elf stroked it's head. The elf didn't reply. Alicia scuttled over to Nathan, and crouched next to him. She pulled out a small bit of bread from her sandwich, and pushed it through the bars. Within seconds, the girl had snatched up the bread and instead of eating it herself, she put it in the child's mouth. Alicia could almost empathise with the elf; she had looked after younger mages in the circle, and had young siblings of her own. And she knew for a fact that she could never go hungry with Nathan slipping her extra meals whenever they were together.  
"Do you want some more?" Alicia asked slowly, beginning to take more bread and ham out of her bag. She'd stolen the food on the way out of Ostagar, and she hadn't had time to eat until she got onto the boat. Her stomach rumbled feebly.  
"Y-Yes..." The elf's voice was timid and shook like an earthquake, but Alicia mentally applauded her for talking to humans, which she suspected were the ones who imprisoned her. Alicia fished more food out of her bag, and put it through the iron bars for the elf. "Why are you helping me?" An interesting question, if sensible.  
"I'm not usually this nice, don't worry." Alicia smiled, seeing if humor would relax the underweight, shivering girl. The elf's shoulders were bare and skeletal; Alicia had once seen an orphan come to the Circle looking this fragile, and he had been showered with warm clothes and food for weeks. This girl looked like she wouldn't live weeks. The humor worked. The elf sighed and smiled, taking the food gently from Alicia's hands, as if this was one huge trick and she was going to get beaten- again.  
"You're a lot nicer than the other human's on the ship." The elf said innocently, and broke the bread in half. She fed the child slowly, and then placed a small amount in her own mouth.  
"My name's Nathan," Nathan said, sitting down nearer to where the girl was, "what's your name?"  
"Ahriel." The elf looked at Nathan admiringly, and blushed when he spoke to her.  
"I'm Carver," Carver sat down, too.  
"And I'm Alicia."  
"Hello, Carver, Nathan and Alicia." The elf seemed to be glad of the company. She nibbled a little more of the bread. She was so thin that you could almost see it glide down her throat.  
"When was the last time you ate?" Carver asked, noticing bones sticking out of places that they probably shouldn't.  
"Well...since I got on this ship." She shrugged, and started to burp the baby in vain.  
"Where did you come from?" Nathan asked, trying to sound casual. However, he was wringing his hands behind his back, and breathing purposefully slow to try and calm himself down. That was one trait that he and Alicia shared; the want and need to help those worse off for themselves. In the Circle, Alicia stayed up late to help younger mages with their studies, and even coached a small elven choir for a year or two. She learned many Dalish songs, and was always personally annoyed when one of the Dalish Elves spoke about oppression of their people, be it mages or slaves. In Lothering, Nathan stole from a rather stuck-up merchant, and gave his goods to a whole host of people; poison to the farmers, trap plans to worried housewives, and food, clothes and money to orphans and elves.  
"The Tevinter Imperium," Ahriel tried to hold back a scowl, and concentrated on cleaning up a fresh pile of sick that was now on her cream skirt. "We stopped in Fereldan for about a day, but we weren't allowed out."  
"That must have taken...over a month." Carver calculated quickly, then gasped. He took off his shoulder bag, and began finding food of Ahriel and her child. Alicia looked around, and realised that there were many other elven women with children, with their head drooping sleepily. Alicia ripped enough bread off of her loaf for all of them, and poked it through the bars to their cages. She, Nathan and Carver were utterly disgusted. Not one of the women looked like they'd been fed properly, but luckily the babies did.  
"She's beautiful." Alicia smiled at the Ahriel's child as she laid it on the floor, wrapped in a comfortable bundle.  
"Thank you," Ahriel smiled proudly. "Her father is the apprentice to my old master. She has his smile." Ahriel looked bitter for a split second, then looked up at the three humans and smiled, as if presenting a cake she had made to a panel of judges. Alicia couldn't tell what had happened to Ahriel, but she seemed completely damaged; she acted fine with not eating for nearly a month, didn't complain once, and Alicia had heard stories about Tevinter Magister's. "He told me he loved me," Ahriel spoke softly, "and then he raped me. But he loved me, so I didn't care." Alicia's hand shot straight into Nathan's. Nathan squeezed back subtly, and let his cousin grip onto him. He had heard stories, too, but not about Tevinter. When Alicia was about fourteen, she had come home from the Circle for a visit, only because the Templar she was being watched by had to go through Lothering to collect an apostate.

Alicia, after picking her shackles deftly, ran straight to the Amell home, with hot, angry tears dripping down her rosy cheeks. She had never owned a staff in her life, but sometimes she wished that she had just one, so she could scare away the starring villagers. It was the year before Malcolm Hawke died, and he had always taken a shine to Alicia, especially when she was sad. It seemed Leandra didn't like children, or perhaps just her niece. The home was modest, with a few rooms leading off from the kitchen and dining room area. Malcolm was sat by the fire, with a younger Nathan next to him, engrossed in conversation. Nathan, like Alicia, had always been interested in history and tales. "...and that's when Flemmeth swoops down on the girls and-" Malcolm noticed Alicia kick the door open, her fists glowing the same blue as her eyes. "Alicia? I didn't expect you for a visit." He looked at the crying mage with his eyebrows furrowed deeply. "What's wrong?" Alicia pushed her then long, silky black hair behind her ears and pouted furiously.  
"I hate it there. I want to come home." Nathan sat up uncomfortably, and paid a little more attention to the conversation than before.  
"Why?" Malcolm patted the soft spot on the hay-bale sofa next to him. Alicia walked over to the spot, tears still welling in her eyes, and threw herself down.  
"There's new Templar recruits in the Circle," Alicia sniffled unattractively, "and they're not nice."  
"How are they not nice?" Nathan asked, switching places so he was sat next to his cousin, and let her rest her feet on him. Nathan's hair was neat, and looked a beautiful orange in the flickering firelight. Alicia turned to look at Nathan, and her bottom lip quivered.  
"I'd heard rumours and things from Amelia in Tevinter, but I never thought that they'd ever be true." Alicia let out a shaky sigh, and cuddled under Malcolm's arm pit. Amelia was Alicia's younger sister, and was sent to a Circle in the Free Marches a month after Alicia was sent to Fereldan's Circle. Amelia was so different to Alicia; she had almost transparent skin, long red hair, deep green eyes and a very calm, soothing, sweet manner. She was a lot like Bethany, in many ways, and quite liked Spirit Healing magic over destructive and possessive magic.  
"Alicia, tell me." Malcolm had gotten off of the sofa, and was crouching down in front of Alicia, who was trembling on Nathan. Her hands shook as she wiped her nose boyishly.  
"They touched me..." She shook her head, as if she was about to pass into a flashback.  
"They did

what?!_" Malcolm, for the first time since Bethany accidentally burnt their shed down, shouted. His voice echoed across the bare sitting room, rebounding against every surface at least twice. Alicia was sent into a howl of fright, and started shaking even more furiously. "Where?" Malcolm asked, his eyes stony and serious.  
"Here," Alicia pointed to her thighs and hips. "And here," she pointed to just below her chest, and frowned at the lack of... well anything.  
"Are you alright, child?" Malcolm held Alicia at arms length.  
"I broke their fingers." Alicia grinned through streams of snot.  
"That's my girl." Malcolm tightly hugged his niece and patted her hair.  
"When you wrote, you said one was quite nice, didn't you?" Nathan asked when Alicia had pulled free of Malcolm's grip.  
"There is one. He's maybe a year or two older, and he seemed quite friendly. He spoke to me when I was with Irving, getting scolded. I heard he'll assist my Harrowing soon, too." Alicia said robotically, as if reciting something.  
"Do you know his name?" Nathan asked, happy to see this branch of the conversation going better than the last.  
"Oh, yes," Alicia blushed, "I think he's called Cullen." _


	5. Oil Lamps on a Broken Ship

**Sorry it's been so long! The story is ****_clearly _****unfinished, but I'm really enjoying it at the moment!**

"Ahriel?" Alicia asked, edging further and further towards the skeletal elf, "did he hurt you?" Her yellow eyes looked up at Alicia, and she scooped up the baby once more.  
"Her name is Melia, and she is nearly a year old," Ahriel changed the subject, as if she'd been trained to say that. Alicia took this well, and was silent about the thought of an old Tevinter Magister hurting the fragile, young elf.  
"She is gorgeous," Carver admired the baby, "I wish my children would be as beautiful." His eyes softened, and his sigh was shallow. "Where are you going?" Carver shifted and sat on his feet.  
"Yeah," Nathan copied his brother and leant against the bars, "you haven't said."  
"Well," Ahriel's voice grew more triumphant with each word, "I'm going to work in the Circle!" She grinned proudly and cuddled the baby. "I saved up enough money to get a boat here and a little room in the Circle and it's not even slavery!" She spoke so fast that it took Alicia a moment to realise what Ahriel had said.  
"So you're a mage?" Alicia ripped off some bread and chewed it.  
"No!" Ahriel protested. A quick subject change was in order once again, and so Alicia coughed.  
"I'm a mage," Alicia smiled, and set her finger alight. It clearly didn't hurt her, but Ahriel still jumped.  
"I think we're docking now," Nathan prodded his cousin, and let her and Carver stand up. "Ready for a fight?" Nathan winked at Alicia, who turned her head to Nathan, and clicked her fingers. The oil lamps in the cargo hold flickered out, and Carver jumped.  
"Hey," he found his way to his cousin, and glared at her, though Alicia couldn't see.  
"Nathan?" Alicia's head turned swiftly to her cousin.  
"Shackles?" Nathan retorted, un-sheathing his daggers from the harness on his back.  
"Let _all _the elves out," Alicia thought as she started pulling lock picks out of her bra, "that way, the magisters' and slave owners will avoid us, and go for them."  
"We can't just let the elves be slaughtered!" Carver protested, and tensed his arms to prove his strength.  
"No! Don't be an idiot, Carver," Nathan rolled his eyes from the cage door of a red-haired elf, "they'll want to choral them back into their crates, but the thing is, you're going to give them an escape route." Nathan grinned.  
"I am?" Carver was slightly sarcastic.  
"Yes," Alicia's eyes glowed slightly in the dark, "you are." Unfortunately, Carver guessed what his brother and cousin were talking about, because, when the ship jolted to a halt, he started hitting the side of the ship with his large sword. The ship started sinking as a small level of water came in, and a figure started moving in the shadows. "Go," Alicia hissed, and started letting out elves and small children.  
"Well, well, well." It was a man, by the sounds of it, "little elves escaping!" He clapped his hands loudly, and the sound rebounded off the sides of the cargo hold. "Well done! Did you have help?" Alicia nodded at Nathan, who darted silently around the back of the man. Carver had long since gone, and was helping elves swim across the ship and away to safety.  
"Yeah!" Alicia put on the best cockney accent she could, and swaggered up the man. She could see now, that he was human; tall with almost blue hair and vivid grey eyes. "Enslaving elves! What do ya think you're doing!" Alicia's accent was surprisingly convincing, but the man eyed her nervously.  
"With me," he tried to grasp her around the collar, but Nathan was too quick. He had thrust one of his knives through the man's chest, and the other through his stomach. Alicia could see blood dripping out of both gaping wounds, despite the dark. The slaver started coughing blood, and that's when Alicia and Nathan split.


End file.
